


Protect and Provide

by Lunarium



Category: A Redtail's Dream (Webcomic)
Genre: Bird grooming, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, SSSS crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 18:14:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9337127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarium/pseuds/Lunarium
Summary: A terrible pandemic is destroying Earth, and Swan weeps for mortals. Kokko sweeps in to provide comfort.





	

The peace of the slumbering sea rippled, the tides growing more turbulent with the weeping of the magnificent white bird perched atop the heavenly rock. 

“Rude of me, I am sorry, my little dears!” wept Swan. “You must rest, but I cannot—oh, you have all met such horrid deaths—how many more of you are coming to this place?!”

In a sudden mad frenzy she flapped her wings and shrieked along with the next wave of arrivals. The sounds of weeping doubled, and with that, the unsettlement of the sea. 

“There, there. It is no use getting your feathers ruffled over this.” 

The sound of massive wings beating down came from above as Kokko landed, the wings, cosmic in appearance, soon taking corporeal form of a gigantic eagle. As ancient as Swan herself, Kokko’s voice was kind but as diplomatic and professional as always. “The world has seen worse and survived: wars, plagues, natural disasters…the humans have come out of them before and survived. They will survive this.” 

Swan gave a little noise of disproval, shaking her tail. “It is no good, Kokko. I fear the sea will become overflowing with the bodies of the departed before long! I have never seen such arrivals, one after the other! It will become inhabited by everyone on that once-green planet and, and—” 

Kokko sighed impatiently. “You will start plucking your feathers again, little egg.” As if to confirm her point, a few such feathers fluttered out from under Swan as she trembled. “Would you like for me to help with the paperwork? I am not booked for anything at the moment.” 

“Tell me what is going on in that world? Why is everyone dying?” 

“Not everyone is dying. It is just another epidemic. It’s been a while since the last one, in their memory, and it seems yours as well.” 

“I have never filled out this much paperwork in such little time, Kokko!” 

“We’ve seen worse. We will see the end of it again, as we always have. The human race’s persistence to survive shall annoy this darling planet for many years yet.” 

She inched closer to the swan till she could tuck the other bird under her wing. “Relax, little egg. It is nothing.” With her pointed beak she preened the feathers behind Swan’s ear; it was the spot that provided just the right kind of comfort she needed to soothe Swan’s nerves. Some might tease them for behaving like common love-birds flying along the Bird’s Path, but it had been millenniums since the last time that had happened; Kokko had chased them out and made sure such comments were never uttered again.

They were birds, no matter how tiny or large, and this was how one received affection, love, and comfort. Kokko brought this attention all over Swan’s soft body, nibbling on the downy part close to the root of the feather then licking the shaft all to the tip before repeating the action on the next feather. Swan’s heart pulsed rhythmically, no longer frantic as before, and she set her head over Kokko’s shoulder. 

For a while, there was only the peaceful moment between them. 

“That’s all you need to do when you find yourself stressed, little egg,” Kokko said when she was done preening her love. “Our own feathers provide us with the means to remain calm during the more trying of times. Try it for yourself next time. I see you’ve neglected a few ink stains.” 

“I suppose you are correct,” Swan said and sighed heavily. “Yet souls are still pouring in here like rain. However can I get them all settled in here and in peace! I’ve had a school of children just weeping for hours before they finally accepted their fate, the poor little helpless chicks!” 

“It looks like so much because of where you are standing,” Kokko said. “If you come into the human’s world, you will find many are still alive, still fighting this disease, and surviving.” 

She felt her lover grow still in hesitation. It was exceedingly rare for Swan to ever venture past her little haven and workplace. The people of Tuonela needed her. She kept the souls comforted and at peace, and they all adored her. Kokko appreciated Swan’s work quite well. She fit more here than traveling the Bird’s Path, and Kokko needed her here. She trusted Swan with the mortals that she, Kokko, herself was quite fond of. 

“Come with me, my lovely Swan. Even a watcher of souls needs a little time to stretch her wings now and again.” 

She gave one of Swan’s wings the tiniest of gentle pecks with her beak, and they were off, with Kokko leading the way, and Swan soaring close behind.

*

The village of Hokanniemi was as different as anything the last time Kokko had to interfere there, but it was quiet as ever, though for an entirely different reason. 

“Come on, now, they will not see us.” 

“I am not so certain about this...”

“Then put on your cloak, silly goose.” 

“Oh, don’t call me that!” 

The moment talons and a pair of webbed feet touched the ground, the forms of the two majestic birds took form into that of two women. 

Kokko stood up first. Having an appearance of an older woman though strong, with muscular arms, a crew’s cut, salt and pepper, her black eyes sharp and piercing. Her posture and manner of walking demanded respect, regal as it was, a woman of such high status as herself and who knew it, towering over anyone she passed. 

Swan herself was tall but stood hunched, her neck drooping into a permanent arch. Her long snow-white hair had been pulled up into a bun, but it was coming out of its place. One eye was slightly bigger than the other, though perhaps with the way her eyebrows arched it gave her that appearance. She regarded the world about her in a fidgeting manner, her skull snapping this way and that, as though the sky itself would soon fall over her head.

“Here they are, little egg,” Kokko said. 

Swan focused to where Kokko was pointing. The land felt cold, long deserted, but it was not wholly uninhabited. She was half expecting to see the organic remains of those poor souls—she desired not to witness them in her current state—but instead she saw a middle-aged woman waving a sign and a blinking light. Directing traffic. Far behind her was a pier, and people lined up. Some broke away in search for more of their loved ones. 

“They’re escaping! What, are there safer lands?”

Laughter came from some faraway distant. A group of young humans, about teenage years from the looks of them, passed them by. 

“No school forever! YES!” 

“Oh, how ungrateful and rude!” Swan gasped. 

Kokko chuckled. “Does this look like a tragedy to you now, love?”

Taking Swan’s thin hand in her own, Kokko led her down roads. Seldom did anyone take notice of them, and if they had, they bowed their heads, as if sensing the sacredness of the two older women. 

There was a school, Swan recognized, and Kokko led her inside. The halls were cleared out save for stretchers that should have belonged to a hospital, and rolling trays full of vials and test tubes and syringes—Swan shuddered. Humans were gifted in the arts of healing and medicine, but she was thankful she was no mortal and had ever to be subjected to their greatest advancement. 

“You do know what you are agreeing to, do you, Paju?” 

“Yes, I do,” answered Paju. The conversation came from one of the classrooms, though neither woman could see into it. But they could make out the silhouette of a young woman talking to an older individual as she scratched at her arm. “I feel it is my duty to remain here. The sick students need me, as do any other of the infected. Hell, _I’m_ infected! We all are in here, and we’re just trying to survive while the lucky healthy ones get away!” 

“Poor duckling,” Swan mumbled to herself. 

The woman sighed. “You have offered enough of your services, my dear. I worry you might exert yourself.” 

Swan frowned. “I know that voice…Kielo?” 

Kokko smiled. 

“No! I am staying here with my friends!” Paju’s voice hitched up a notch. “My students don’t want me to leave! And someone has to protect them whenever the monsters attack!” 

“Jonna and Joona have been doing excellent work with their magic.” 

“And sometimes all you need is a good punch in the face! Those two can’t punch as well as I can, magic or no!” 

Kielo chuckled. “All right, then. You can stay.” 

Swan took a few steps back, her eyes never leaving Kokko. “Magic?” 

Kokko’s smile was full of knowing by the time they left the school. “I love mortals, as you know,” she said. “And the gods will protect and provide.” She gave Swan’s hand a reassuring squeeze as they returned to the spot they had landed previously. “As I said before, my little egg, humans have overcome all sorts of atrocities ever thrown at them before. They shall overcome this as well.”


End file.
